In previous years, Universal Arts has used ETC's Congo lighting control desks. However, at PLASA Focus in April, ETC launched Element. This new desk caught the attention of Universal Arts production manager, Anthony Newton, who approached ETC's Jeremy Roberts to explore the possibility of using Element to light all the shows in the Universal Arts Festival of international theatre.
Newton says: "Element seemed like the perfect desk for Fringe venue application. It has the software of the successful Eos and Ion range with simplified features to ease user control, making the basic functions easier to navigate with greater hands on fader control. It's a much friendlier looking desk to the inexperienced or unfamiliar operator.
"In an environment like the fringe you need a desk which is quick to programme, easy to operate and reliable. Element is all of these and I am really excited about getting to show them to our visiting companies from across the world."
The lighting systems are being installed at Universal Arts @ St George's West, EICC (Edinburgh's International Conference Centre) and at the New Town Theatre at Freemason's Hall on George Street.
ETC will train Universal Arts staff on Element. The Universal Arts technical team will then put their training into practice, helping designers and technicians from visiting international companies to plot and operate the lighting for their shows for the duration of the festival.
Jeremy Roberts, ETC's associate regional manager for the UK & Ireland, says: "As the Element is new for us this year, the Fringe seemed like the perfect launch pad for the product and a great way to allow more people from across the UK and indeed, internationally, to get some practical experience with the desk. The idea behind the desk is that it's a great introduction desk for operators who can graduate with relative ease to the Ion and then Eos as their careers progress or their shows get bigger."
ETC is supplying three Element consoles and one Ion console. In addition, Universal Arts is hiring a Congo console from Stage Electrics for the popular Venezuela Viva show at the EICC. Some 23 shows from across the world will benefit from use of the desks across the three Universal Arts venues.
(Jim Evans)
